Lintel



Patented Dec. 29, 1936 sers rcs

LINTEL Application September 24, 1935, Serial No. 41,861

5 Claims.

The present application is a continuation of co-pending application No. 655,591.

The present invention relates to a building construction where the walls thereof are made of individual units and the invention is particularly concerned with the arrangement of that construction above a door or window and means to support the units occurring there.

The above entitled application discloses a house or other building where the Vertical walls are composed of units such as precast slabs with their adjacent edges interlocked together by means of metal edge members bonded to the edges of the units. In such a construction, where an individual unit is of less height than the distance between floor and ceiling, this diiierence in height may be pieced out by means of parts of other units or slabs supported directly by the irst mentioned. The problem, however, of supporting such short-sections over a door or window space is a difficult one, particularly as it is desirable to have such a wall complete before the window or door bucks are put in place and, hence, without them, there would be no support for such slabs otherwise.

To this end, the invention contemplates a denite support for the slabs or units over the window or door openings where such support is tied in to slabs or portions of slabs remote from such opening. This supporting means may consist of a plate having an extended body with angular ends each of which is provided with a groove adapted to be clipped or tted between the corresponding tongued and grooved adjacent edges of two slabs. Where desired, these ends may be additionally nailed to the slab edges Where frictional contact alone is not sufficient to prevent movement. Intermediate the ends of this supporting plate is an angular sheli or step at right angles to the main body of the plate which is adapted to underlie and support the slab or slabs directly over the window or door opening.

The invention further consists in the novel arrangement, combination and construction of parts more fully hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a wall showing an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the supporting plate or bridging piece of Fig. l.

Referring now with particularity to the embodiment illustrated, I have shown in Fig. 1 a wall which consists of a series of slabs having a body portion l of gypsum or the like, the longitudinal edges of which are provided with complementary metal members 2 and 3 having mating tongues and grooves so that when erected, the adjacent slabs are interlocked together in a tight frictional joint.

In a house Where such a wall exists, it is preferable for the sake of speed and ease of erection to erect the walls solidly Without regard as to where these openings may occur. After the wall has been put in place, the window or door openings may then be marked out and such opening cut therefrom by hand or power. Inasmuch as the set cementitious material of which the slabs are made may be readily cut and the gauge of the metal on the slab edges may be comparatively light, this severing or cutting out of the openings can be accomplished without difliculty. One suoli' opening is indicated in Fig. 1.

After cutting this opening, the slabs Al and B being only partially severed, their upper portion will be supported by the lower uncut portion. The slab C, however, being completely cut off on the bottom, must rely for its support upon the frictional joint of the metal edge interlock between it and its neighboring slabs A and B.

In order, therefore, vto adequately support this short slab C or a plurality of such slabs C, should the opening be of such width, a supporting plate or bridging piece is provided, having an extended body l with angular ends 5, each of which is provided with a grooved portion i3. The ends 5 are adapted to be pinched or clipped between the interlocked metal edges of two slabs as, for instance, slabs A and D and slabs B and E. Where the frictional joint is not tight enough t0 prevent slippage of the plate Il, nails l may be used to additionally secure the part in place.

Intermediate the ends of this tie or bridging piece l is an angular shelf or step 8 adapted to underlie the short piece of slab C. The step 8 may be of any desired extent and, as shown in Fig. 1, it extends under the cut portions ofthe slabs A and B likewise to lend whatever support is necessary at those points.

In this way, there can be no accidental displacement of the cut slab C nor is the support thereof dependent upon the use of door or window bucks. Likewise, the use of the supporting plate or bridging piece does not in any way interfere with the use of such bucks.

While the invention has been shown and described with particular reference to specific embodiments, yet obviously it is not to be limited 1. A building construction comprising a vertical Wall of precast slabs vhaving an engaging vertical surface, an opening in said wall of aV width greater than one wall slab, a slab supporting plate Vdeiining the top of said opening, saidplate being secured at each end between the Vertical joint between wall slabs, and a wall slab supported on said plate.

2. A building construction comprising a wall` of vertically arranged interlocking precast slabs, an opening in said wall, a slab supporting plate 'defining the top of said opening, said plate having its sides extending between and conforming to the interlock between the Wall slabs, said plate having a horizontal portion between its ends, and

a slab supported on said horizontal portion.

3. A building construction comprising a series of interlocking precast slabs arranged in a plane,`

an opening in saidplane, a slab `supporting plate spanning more than one slaband having its ends extending between and conforming to the interlock between the slabs.V

4. A building construction comprisingr a wall of vertically arranged interlocking precast slabs, an opening in said wall, a slab supporting plate defining the top of said opening, said plate having a portion extending between and conforming `to the interlock between the Walls slabs, said Vplate having a horizontal portion between its ends, and a slab supported on said horizontall portion.

5. The building construction of claim 4 in which the horizontal portion of the plate is coextensive with the width of the opening.

` CLARKE F. DAVIS. 

